Sleep deprivation and fatigue are potential problems for vehicle operators including automobile drivers. Different approaches have been proposed for detecting driver fatigue. One proposed approach is to monitor a driver's head position to determine if the driver's head moves in a manner that corresponds to falling asleep. This method only works if a driver's head position changes when becoming tired or falling asleep. Another proposed approach is to monitor deviation from lane markings on the road, alerting the driver when such deviations rise to dangerous levels. This approach requires a monitor built into the vehicle. Such a system is very costly, however, and not necessarily effective based upon differing driver preferences.
A driver alert system that can detect driver fatigue or sleepiness in a cost effective manner, while also avoiding the natural differences that are present in different drivers would be useful.